Free Comic Book Day 2014!

By this point most fans know that Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional event held by the comic book industry that takes place on the first Saturday of May to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores. Depending upon the level of investment made by the individual retail locations, customers can experience quite a variety of often party-like store events. Some stores allow customers to select one of each available free comic, and others limit the quantity (as for the stores, these books are not free at all; they must purchase these volumes to some extent). Adding to the overall fun, most host locations feature established industry guest talent or regional favorites to sign their books or sketch for attendees. No matter how you slice it, FCBD is well worth standing in line for some good clean fun!

I really would have liked to have gotten the 2000 AD magazine, but my shop didn’t offer that one and since they limited attendees to seven items, I lost out on getting the Walt Disney Uncle Scrooge & Donald Duck issue once I made my picks which included: Archie Digest #1 from Archie Comics; Bongo Free-For-All from Bongo Comics; Future’s End from DC Comics; All Rocket Raccoon from Marvel Comics; Magic Wind from Epicenter Comics; the Archaia Hardcover Anthology (featuring Mouse Guard) from Boom Entertainment and the Sonic the Hedgehog/Megaman flipbook also from Archie Comics. As you can see, my choices lean towards all-ages fare. Most years I go for the Bongo, Archie, Walt Disney stuff as they are a nice break from what typically floods into stores most weeks throughout the year. This was the second year that a Mouse Guard hardcover was offered, so kudos to Boom for that nice volume, and I was very pleased with Magic Wind (a western with a horror twist). DC Comics tied their release into an upcoming event, and I'm glad to have had a chance to see this sneak peek, so that I won't waste my time with this mess any further.

Thanks to all the publishers, retailers, distributors and creative talent that played a part in bringing the 2014 books to our grubby little hands.